


A fitting Introduction to Bad Habits

by jaxonkreide



Series: Coffee Stains [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Coffee, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Implied Bad Parenting, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Soulmates, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:35:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24007480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaxonkreide/pseuds/jaxonkreide
Summary: A young boy searches for his mother after a nightmare. His father finds him instead.
Relationships: Loki/Tony Stark
Series: Coffee Stains [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1535585
Comments: 7
Kudos: 76





	A fitting Introduction to Bad Habits

**Author's Note:**

> Here we are! It has been half a year since the previous part of this series and you did convince me that I'd make this a twice a year thing... 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

_ “Good Morning, my friend.” _ The message from the previous day was still on Tony’s arm, not that he noticed it at that moment. No, his mind was occupied with different matters as he walked through their mansion towards his mother’s bedroom in the middle of the night, dragging his blanket after himself and sniffling.

“Mommy, I had a nightmare!” Tony said after standing on his tiptoes to open the bedroom door.

He went inside and approached the bed, only to find it empty. “Mommy?” Unsure, Tony looked towards the clock, but it was still the same time as before, the middle of the night.

Maybe his mother had a nightmare too and was somewhere else in their home?

And yet, after searching for her everywhere, he still couldn’t find her.

In the end, he’d just sat down in the kitchen, tugging his blanket close and rolling into a little ball.

Tony doesn’t know how long he sat there when he heard the door to the kitchen open again. His head snapped up, but he hadn’t turned on the light so he couldn’t see who it was. Surely, it was his mommy, coming to see if he was alright!

“Mommy?”

The light turned on with a flash causing Tony to shut his eyes tightly and then rubbing at them before looking at the new person in the room.

“Your mother is out for the night,” his father told Tony as he walked past the boy and opening a cupboard, mugs clinking against each other.

“Oh,” the little boy mumbled and curled into himself again.

Tony heard his father doing something with a mug behind him, filling it, but Tony didn’t turn to look. Neither of them spoke, his father didn’t like to hear Tony complain. Didn’t like to hear it when Tony was excited about something too.

Did he ever like it when Tony spoke? He didn’t like Tony’s soulmate either, despite them always being polite...

When something was harshly set down in front of him, Tony startled from where he had almost started to doze away.

His father had set down a mug in front of him. Tony looked up towards him, uncomprehending.

Letting go of the mug, his father nodded for Tony to take it. “You want to stay awake, don’t you? Take it, it works wonders.”

Tony blinked surprised. His father made this for him? But he hadn’t said it with a smile either…

He thanked his father nonetheless.

Tony reached out for the mug and his arm appeared from under the blanket, revealing the writing on his skin again. Before Tony could touch the mug, his father held his arm in his strong hand. It hurt a bit, but it wasn’t bad!

“You’re  _ still _ talking to her, boy? I told you to cut it out, stop being so polite every morning. Soulmates do not matter, not for us Stark men, understand?”

Tony looked up at his  _ father _ with big eyes and nodded. He’d agree to anything if his father wouldn’t take away the gift that still stood right before him on the table. He had to treasure even the smallest gift.

With a scoff, his father let go of his arm and turned to leave, his own mug in his hand.

Before he left the kitchen though, he stopped one more time. He didn’t turn around, but Tony knew he was speaking to him still. “And don’t you dare go blabbing about any of this to your mother or your useless soulmate, yes?”

Tony nodded, once more, but his father couldn’t see that. He still left without another word.

Reaching out, once again. Tony took the mug in his hands without any trouble now.

It was hot, almost too hot.

The liquid inside was dark and Tony recognized it as something his father often drank, coffee.

He’d asked to try it before, but his mother had always told him no. Now, his father allowed him!

Trying to take a sip, Tony almost burned his tongue, definitely still too hot.

He set the mug back down and blew on the coffee until it wasn’t as hot anymore.

When he tried it, it was bitter and disgusting.

He still drank it all. It was a gift from his father after all.

And in the end? It was  _ amazing_.

_ “Are you alright? I’m here for you for everything, I promise.” _

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, Howard does just assume that Tony's soulmate is definitely female. You know. On top of being against them in general.


End file.
